Daily Current Affairs Quiz — 16 May 2025 | 10 Questions
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Science & Technology
HCL-Foxconn Semiconductor Unit — 6th under ISM
Union Cabinet approved HCL + Foxconn (Taiwan) JV at Jewar, UP — the 6th unit under India Semiconductor Mission (₹76,000 cr) and UP’s first chip unit. Cost: ₹3,706 cr; GoI incentive ~₹1,500 cr. Production from 2027; will meet ~40% of India’s semiconductor chip demand. MeitY: Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Science & Technology
Samudrayaan — India’s Manned Deep Ocean Mission
Submersible: Matsya (25-tonne, titanium hull, 4th-generation). Target depth: 6,000 metres with 3 scientists. Implementing agency: NIOT (HQ Chennai; Est Nov 1993) under MoES. Part of Deep Ocean Mission (DOM). 500m depth trial expected by end-2025; full launch by 2026.
Infrastructure
India’s Major Ports — FY25 Records
Paradip Port (Odisha) and Deendayal Port/Kandla (Gujarat) each crossed 150 MT for the first time. India’s 12 major ports: 855 MT total (FY25), up 4.3%. Top cargo: POL (254.5 MT, 29.8%). Containers +10%, fertilizers +13%. IPA Chairman: Sunil Paliwal; HQ New Delhi.
International
World Food Prize 2025 — Dr. Mariangela Hungria
Brazilian microbiologist Dr. Mariangela Hungria won the 2025 World Food Prize for developing biological alternatives to chemical fertilizers. She is the 10th woman honoured. Prize: USD 500,000 at Borlaug Dialogue, Des Moines (October 2025). Foundation Est: 1986; Chairman: Paul Schickler.
Governance
New UPSC Chairman — Dr. Ajay Kumar
Dr. Ajay Kumar (1985-batch IAS, Kerala cadre; former Defence Secretary) appointed UPSC Chairman for 6 years or until age 65 — by President Droupadi Murmu under Article 316(1). Succeeds Preeti Sudan. UPSC: Est 1926; conducts IAS/IFS/IPS exams; up to 10 members + Chairman.
Sports
ISSF Shotgun World Cup 2025 — Nicosia, Cyprus
China won gold in Trap Mixed Team (beat Poland 42–39). India’s Kynan Chenai & Sabeera Haris won bronze (beat Turkey 34–33). India qualified 4th out of 34 teams. Next ISSF Shotgun WC: 4–14 July 2025, Lonato del Garda, Italy. Tournament ran 3–12 May 2025.
Science & Technology
BioE3 Policy & DST-ICGEB Bio-foundry
India’s BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment) approved August 2024. The DST-ICGEB Bio-foundry — India’s first publicly funded — accelerates synthetic biology and biomanufacturing. Bioeconomy: USD 10 bn (2014) → USD 165.7 bn (2024) → target USD 300 bn by 2030.
Sports
IOC Coordination Commission — Brisbane 2032
Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski (Philippines; IOC EB member since 2020) appointed Chair of IOC Coordination Commission for Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Succeeds Kristy Coventry (new IOC President, June 2025). Jaworski won gold at 2002 Asian Games (Busan) in equestrian jumping. IOC: Lausanne, Switzerland; Est 1894.
Business & Economy
MSME Sector — SIDBI Report 2025
Udyam Registration Portal (URP) registrations surged from 2.5 crore (Mar 2024) to 6.2 crore (Mar 2025). MSMEs contribute ~30% of GDP; employ 11+ crore people. Merchandise export share: 45.79% in FY25 (up from 43.59% in FY23). SIDBI CMD: Manoj Mittal; HQ Lucknow; Est 1990.
Persons in News
Robert Benton — Oscar-Winning Filmmaker
Robert Benton (b. 29 Sep 1932; d. 11 May 2025; age 92) won 3 Oscars: Best Director + Best Adapted Screenplay (Kramer vs Kramer, 1979 — also Best Picture) and Best Original Screenplay (Places in the Heart, 1984). Co-wrote Bonnie and Clyde (1967). Directorial debut: The Late Show (1977).
🎴 Revision Flashcards
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Tap to Reveal
Which is the 6th unit approved under India Semiconductor Mission?
HCL-Foxconn JV, Jewar, UP
₹3,706 crore • Production from 2027 • UP’s first chip unit
Tap to Reveal
What is the name of the submersible used in Mission Samudrayaan?
Matsya
25-tonne • Titanium hull • Depth: 6,000 metres • 3 scientists
Tap to Reveal
Which two ports crossed 150 MT cargo for the first time in FY25?
Paradip & Deendayal (Kandla)
Odisha & Gujarat • India’s 12 major ports: 855 MT total
Tap to Reveal
Under which Constitutional Article is the UPSC Chairman appointed?
Article 316(1)
By the President • Dr. Ajay Kumar — new Chairman • Succeeds Preeti Sudan
Tap to Reveal
India’s bioeconomy target for 2030 under the BioE3 Policy?
USD 300 billion
From USD 10 bn (2014) → USD 165.7 bn (2024) → USD 300 bn (2030)
Tap to Reveal
Who won the 2025 World Food Prize and what was her contribution?
Dr. Mariangela Hungria (Brazil)
Biological alternatives to chemical fertilizers • 10th woman honoured • USD 500,000
Tap to Reveal
Udyam Portal registrations as of March 2025?
6.2 crore
Up from 2.5 crore (Mar 2024) • MSMEs = 30% GDP, 11+ crore jobs
Tap to Reveal
Robert Benton won Best Director Oscar for which film?
Kramer vs Kramer (1979)
Also won Best Adapted Screenplay + Best Picture • Places in the Heart (1984) = 3rd Oscar
Think & Discuss
India’s Semiconductor Ambition: Building Chips or Building Dependency?
Context from today’s quiz: The HCL-Foxconn JV at Jewar marks the 6th unit approved under India’s ₹76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission — and the first chip unit in Uttar Pradesh. Simultaneously, the MSME sector’s formalisation surge (6.2 crore Udyam registrations) and India’s Deep Ocean Mission (Samudrayaan) signal a broader push across technology frontiers. The question is whether India is building genuine technological self-reliance or creating new forms of strategic dependency.
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
India’s semiconductor push relies heavily on foreign partners — Foxconn (Taiwan), and earlier partnerships with Micron (USA) and Tower Semiconductor (Israel). These are nations with their own geopolitical pressures and supply chain vulnerabilities, as Taiwan’s position vis-à-vis China starkly illustrates. Meanwhile, India’s homegrown semiconductor design capability remains nascent, even as the fabrication infrastructure grows.
Is India’s semiconductor strategy building genuine technological sovereignty, or is it primarily creating world-class assembly infrastructure that remains dependent on foreign IP, equipment, and expertise?
Is India’s semiconductor strategy building genuine technological sovereignty, or is it primarily creating world-class assembly infrastructure that remains dependent on foreign IP, equipment, and expertise?
- India’s ISM incentivises chip fabrication and packaging, but chip design (fabless model) is where the highest value lies. Should India’s policy priority shift from fab infrastructure to design ecosystem development — universities, EDA tools, IP creation?
- Given Taiwan’s geopolitical vulnerability, is it strategically prudent for India to deepen semiconductor ties with Taiwanese firms like Foxconn and TSMC? What risk mitigation strategies should India have in place?
- The MSME sector employs 11+ crore Indians and contributes 30% of GDP, yet receives a fraction of the policy attention that semiconductor fabs attract. How should India balance high-technology strategic investments with the deeper formalisation and productivity needs of the MSME backbone?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
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